desperate remedies-第68节

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at　number　fifty…two　in　that　very　same　street。'

'Edward　lives　at　number　forty…ninehow　very　near　being　the　same
house！'　said　the　old　farmer；　pleased　in　spite　of　himself。

'Very；'　said　Manston。　　'Well；　I　suppose　we　had　better　step　along　a
little　quicker；　Mr。　Springrove；　the　parson's　bell　has　just　begun。'

'Number　forty…nine；'　he　murmured。

4。　　MARCH　THE　TWELFTH

Edward　received　Owen's　letter　in　due　time；　but　on　account　of　his
daily　engagements　he　could　not　attend　to　any　request　till　the　clock
had　struck　five　in　the　afternoon。　　Rushing　then　from　his　office　in
Westminster；　he　called　a　hansom　and　proceeded　to　Hoxton。　　A　few
minutes　later　he　knocked　at　the　door　of　number　forty…one；　Charles
Square；　the　old　lodging　of　Mrs。　Manston。

A　tall　man　who　would　have　looked　extremely　handsome　had　he　not　been
clumsily　and　closely　wrapped　up　in　garments　that　were　much　too
elderly　in　style　for　his　years；　stood　at　the　corner　of　the　quiet
square　at　the　same　instant；　having；　too；　alighted　from　a　cab；　that
had　been　driven　along　Old　Street　in　Edward's　rear。　　He　smiled
confidently　when　Springrove　knocked。

Nobody　came　to　the　door。　　Springrove　knocked　again。

This　brought　out　two　peopleone　at　the　door　he　had　been　knocking
upon；　the　other　from　the　next　on　the　right。

'Is　Mr。　Brown　at　home？'　said　Springrove。

'No；　sir。'

'When　will　he　be　in？'

'Quite　uncertain。'

'Can　you　tell　me　where　I　may　find　him？'

'No。　O；　here　he　is　coming；　sir。　　That's　Mr。　Brown。'

Edward　looked　down　the　pavement　in　the　direction　pointed　out　by　the
woman；　and　saw　a　man　approaching。　　He　proceeded　a　few　steps　to　meet
him。

Edward　was　impatient；　and　to　a　certain　extent　still　a　countryman；
who　had　not；　after　the　manner　of　city　men；　subdued　the　natural
impulse　to　speak　out　the　ruling　thought　without　preface。　　He　said　in
a　quiet　tone　to　the　stranger；　'One　word　with　youdo　you　remember　a
lady　lodger　of　yours　of　the　name　of　Mrs。　Manston？'

Mr。　Brown　half　closed　his　eyes　at　Springrove；　somewhat　as　if　he　were
looking　into　a　telescope　at　the　wrong　end。

'I　have　never　let　lodgings　in　my　life；'　he　said；　after　his　survey。

'Didn't　you　attend　an　inquest　a　year　and　a　half　ago；　at　Carriford？'

'Never　knew　there　was　such　a　place　in　the　world；　sir；　and　as　to
lodgings；　I　have　taken　acres　first　and　last　during　the　last　thirty
years；　but　I　have　never　let　an　inch。'

'I　suppose　there　is　some　mistake；'　Edward　murmured；　and　turned　away。
He　and　Mr。　Brown　were　now　opposite　the　door　next　to　the　one　he　had
knocked　at。　　The　woman　who　was　still　standing　there　had　heard　the
inquiry　and　the　result　of　it。

'I　expect　it　is　the　other　Mr。　Brown；　who　used　to　live　there；　that
you　want；　sir；'　she　said。　　'The　Mr。　Brown　that　was　inquired　for　the
other　day？'

'Very　likely　that　is　the　man；'　said　Edward；　his　interest
reawakening。

'He　couldn't　make　a　do　of　lodging…letting　here；　and　at　last　he　went
to　Cornwall；　where　he　came　from；　and　where　his　brother　still　lived；
who　had　often　asked　him　to　come　home　again。　　But　there　was　little
luck　in　the　change；　for　after　London　they　say　he　couldn't　stand　the
rainy　west　winds　they　get　there；　and　he　died　in　the　December
following。　　Will　you　step　into　the　passage？'

'That's　unfortunate；'　said　Edward；　going　in。　　'But　perhaps　you
remember　a　Mrs。　Manston　living　next　door　to　you？'

'O　yes；'　said　the　landlady；　closing　the　door。　　'The　lady　who　was
supposed　to　have　met　with　such　a　horrible　fate；　and　was　alive　all
the　time。　　I　saw　her　the　other　day。'

'Since　the　fire　at　Carriford？'

'Yes。　　Her　husband　came　to　ask　if　Mr。　Brown　was　still　living　here
just　as　you　might。　　He　seemed　anxious　about　it；　and　then　one
evening；　a　week　or　fortnight　afterwards；　when　he　came　again　to　make
further　inquiries；　she　was　with　him。　　But　I　did　not　speak　to　her
she　stood　back；　as　if　she　were　shy。　　I　was　interested；　however；　for
old　Mr。　Brown　had　told　me　all　about　her　when　he　came　back　from　the
inquest。'

'Did　you　know　Mrs。　Manston　before　she　called　the　other　day？'

'No。　　You　see　she　was　only　Mr。　Brown's　lodger　for　two　or　three
weeks；　and　I　didn't　know　she　was　living　there　till　she　was　near　upon
leaving　againwe　don't　notice　next…door　people　much　here　in　London。
I　much　regretted　I　had　not　known　her　when　I　heard　what　had　happened。
It　led　me　and　Mr。　Brown　to　talk　about　her　a　great　deal　afterwards。
I　little　thought　I　should　see　her　alive　after　all。'

'And　when　do　you　say　they　came　here　together？'

'I　don't　exactly　remember　the　daythough　I　remember　a　very
beautiful　dream　I　had　that　same　nightah；　I　shall　never　forget　it！
Shoals　of　lodgers　coming　along　the　square　with　angels'　wings　and
bright　golden　sovereigns　in　their　hands　wanting　apartments　at　West
End　prices。　　They　would　not　give　any　less；　no；　not　if　you'

'Yes。　　Did　Mrs。　Manston　leave　anything；　such　as　papers；　when　she
left　these　lodgings　originally？'　said　Edward；　though　his　heart　sank
as　he　asked。　　He　felt　that　he　was　outwitted。　　Manston　and　his　wife
had　been　there　before　him；　clearing　the　ground　of　all　traces。

'I　have　always　said　〃No〃　hitherto；'　replied　the　woman；　'considering
I　could　say　no　more　if　put　upon　my　oath；　as　I　expected　to　be。　　But
speaking　in　a　common　everyday　way　now　the　occurrence　is　past；　I
believe　a　few　things　of　some　kind　（though　I　doubt　if　they　were
papers）　were　left　in　a　workbox　she　had；　because　she　talked　about　it
to　Mr。　Brown；　and　was　rather　angry　at　what　occurredyou　see；　she
had　a　temper　by　all　account；　and　so　I　didn't　like　to　remind　the　lady
of　this　workbox　when　she　came　the　other　day　with　her　husband。'

'And　about　the　workbox？'

'Well；　from　what　was　casually　dropped；　I　think　Mrs。　Manston　had　a
few　articles　of　furniture　she　didn't　want；　and　when　she　was　leaving
they　were　put　in　a　sale　just　by。　　Amongst　her　things　were　two
workboxes　very　much　alike。　　One　of　these　she　intended　to　sell；　the
other　she　didn't；　and　Mr。　Brown；　who　collected　the　things　together；
took　the　wrong　one　to　the　sale。'

'What　was　in　it？'

'O；　nothing　in　particular；　or　of　any　valuesome　accounts；　and　her
usual　sewing　materials　I　thinknothing　more。　　She　didn't　take　much
trouble　to　get　it　backshe　said　the　bills　were　worth　nothing　to　her
or　anybody　else；　but　that　she　should　have　liked　to　keep　the　box
because　her　husband　gave　it　her　when　they　were　first　married；　and　if
he　found　she　had　parted　with　it；　he　would　be　vexed。'

'Did　Mrs。　Manston；　when　she　called　recently　with　her　husband；　allude
to　this；　or　inquire　for　it；　or　did　Mr。　Manston？'

'Noand　I　rather　wondered　at　it。　　But　she　seemed　to　have　forgotten
itindeed；　she　didn't　make　any　inquiry　at　all；　only　standing　behind
him；　listening　to　his；　and　he　probably　had　never　been　told　anything
about　it。'

'Whose　sale　were　these　articles　of　hers　taken　to？'

'Who　was　the　auctioneer？　　Mr。　Halway。　　His　place　is　the　third
turning　from　the　end　of　that　street　you　see　there。　　Anybody　will
tell　you　the　shophis　name　is　written　up。'

Edward　went　off　to　follow　up　his　clue　with　a　promptness　which　was
dictated　more　by　a　dogged　will　to　do　his　utmost　than　by　a　hope　of
doing　much。　　When　he　was　out　of　sight；　the　tall　and　cloaked　man；　who
had　watched　him；　came　up　to　the　woman's　door；　with　an　appearance　of
being　in　breathless　haste。

'Has　a　gentleman　been　here　inquiring　about　Mrs。　Manston？'

'Yes；　he's　just　gone。'

'Dear　me！　　I　want　him。'

'He's　gone　to　Mr。　Halway's。'

'I　think　I　can　give　him　some　information　upon　the　subject。　　Does　he
pay　pretty　liberally？'

'He　gave　me　half…a…crown。'

'That　scale　will　do。　　I'm　a　poor　man；　and　will　see　what　my　little
contribution　to　his　knowledge　will　fetch。　　But；　by　the　way；　perhaps
you　told　him　all　I　knowwhere　she　lived　before　coming　to　live
here？'

'I　didn't　know　where　she　lived　before　coming　here。　　O　noI　only
said　what　Mr。　Brown　had　told　me。　　He　seemed　a　nice；　gentle　young
man；　or　I　shouldn't　have　been　so　open　as　I　was。'

'I　shall　now　about　catch　him　at　Mr。　Halway's；'　said　the　man；　and
went　away　as　hastily　as　he　had　come。

Edward　in　the　meantime　had　reached　the　auction…room。　　He　found　some
difficulty；　on　account　of　the　inertness　of　those　whose　only
inducement　to　an　action　is　a　mere　wish　from　another；　in　getting　the
information　he　stood　in　need　of；　but　it　was　at　last　accorded　him。
The　auctioneer's　book　gave　the　name　of　Mrs。　Higgins；　3　Canley
Passage；　as　the　purchaser　of　the　lot　which　had　included　Mrs。
Manston's　workbox。

Thither　Edward　went；　followed　by　the　man。　　Four　bell　pulls；　one
above　the　other　like　waistcoat…buttons；　appeared　on　the　door…post。
Edward　seized　the　first　he　came　to。

'Who　did　you　woant？'　said　a　thin　voice　from　somewhere。

Edward　looked　above　and　around　him；　nobody　was　visible。

'Who　did　you　woant？'　said　the　thin　voice　again。

He　found　now　that　the　sound　proceeded　from　below　the　grating
covering　the　basement　window。　　He　dropped　his　glance　through　the
bars；　and　saw　a　child's　white　face。

'Who　did　you　woant？'　said　the　voice　the　third　time；　with　precisely
the　same　languid　inflection。

'Mrs。　Higgins；'　said　Edward。

'Third　bell　up；'　said　the　face；　and　disappeared。

He　pulled　the　third　bell　from　the　bottom；　and　was　admitted　by
another　child；　the　daughter　of　the　woman　he　was　in　search　of。　　He
gave　the　little　th